This absorption pole was designed and developed for two distinct markets namely:
- International Container Transport of cargoes susceptible to moisture damage.
- Domestic Static Storage.
Although the dynamics of these markets are different the technical aspects are actually very similar in that the basic criterion is to reduce the Relative Humidity (amount of compound moisture in the air) in an enclosed space to a level which protects the contents from both direct moisture damage, damp and mould growth. In a Shipping Container direct moisture damage is the main issue and results from the formation of condensation on a cold steel surface sometimes referred to as ‘container rain’. In Leisure applications such as caravan, boating and beach huts, it is damp and mould.
There are other marketed absorption poles that use a wide variety of compound mixes to cope with different applications and more importantly time frames. The average cargo only spends 6 weeks inside a container and therefore the requirement for lengthier operation is far less than a domestic storage container or a leisure unit. The basic aim of The Dampstick was to produce a product which was technically superior and gave wider and much longer operational benefits to a variety of applications. To appreciate the qualities of The Dampstick pole the mechanism and chemical nature of desiccant must be recognised.
The basic desiccant is calcium chloride which is a very powerful absorber of moisture to such an extent that every single pure CaCl2 molecule wants to absorb 6 water molecules. On achieving this it turns into a liquid which surprisingly will then continue to absorb even more moisture until it is fully saturated- depending on conditions the original CaCl2 can absorb more than 150% of its starting weight.
The Dampstick pole takes total advantage of this in its design but other similar looking manufactured products often exhibit defects.
Many similar products use a *Di-hydrate CaCl2 as the starting material which means 1/3 of its initial capacity is already used and once an additional 4 molecules have been absorbed the liquid runs directly into the bottom chamber with no time to absorb further moisture.
The Dampstick pole uses a pure totally **Anhydrous CaCl2 starting material and has an uniquely designed internal structure which keeps the liquid in the top part of the pole for a significantly longer length of time during which it absorbs an additional amount of moisture.
Hence from a visual comparison point of view you will see liquid in the bottom chamber of other similar products much sooner than in The Dampstick pole. In terms of numbers, The Dampstick pole will absorb around 200g more grammes of moisture than most other similar products before any liquid exists and then it will remain in the top section continuing to absorb for several days. This means that in a Direct Laboratory Controlled comparison to other similar products it could easily be 4 weeks longer before you see liquid in the bottom chamber of The Dampstick pole. This does not mean that it is not working!
Recent data shows that the top part of the pole can hold over 500g of liquid before any liquid becomes visible in the bottom section. Once liquid starts to appear then the process will be continual.
In an operational environment when the pole has been absorbing for a few weeks The Dampstick pole will be noticeably fatter and heavier in the upper encasement. This demonstrates that it is working!
Also it should be recognised that as the relative humidity in the atmosphere of the enclosed area is reduced the speed of absorption declines. The Dampstick pole adapts to this change much better than other similar products and therefore does not waste its capacity.
* A chemical compound containing two molecules of water.
** A total absence of water.